Investigation underway after Muslim rights group says woman wearing hijab assaulted on bus in Scarborough

Video circulating online appears to show a man kicking a woman and yelling profanities at her. John Mussleman reports.

Durham Region Transit says it is co-operating with an investigation into an assault on a bus captured on video, showing what a Muslim rights group says was an Islamophobic incident.

“Durham Region Transit is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for transit customers. We are aware of the online video regarding an incident on a DRT bus,” a spokesperson for the Region of Durham said on Thursday.

Durham Regional Police confirmed that the incident is being investigated by Toronto police, as it happened while the bus was in Scarborough.

A Toronto police spokesperson said that a report has been filed and the Hate Crime Unit is investigating.

The video was posted on Wednesday by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), which condemned the incident.

“We are outraged by a recent incident of Islamophobia that occurred on the Durham Transit,” the NCCM said.

According to the group, the victim was a woman wearing a hijab and at one point the suspect called her a “terrorist.” In the video, a man is heard yelling expletives before getting up and kicking the woman.

A female passenger beside the woman, who the NCCM said was also wearing a hijab, screams at the man who moved to the front of the bus.

“Hey! You don’t want to hit girls just because we’re Muslim,” the woman yells at the man. “You need to learn that if you can’t respect people, you sit quietly. If you can’t sit quietly, then get off the bus.”

The NCCM said the incident should send alarms to all levels of government, given that it happened in broad daylight aboard a public bus.

“Violent Islamophobia continues to be on the rise,” the NCCM said. “We cannot afford to wait until an incident like this turns to murder yet again; all levels of government must condemn and take concrete action.”

The group noted it is in contact with the victim and local authorities.

Salma Zahid, the MP for Scarborough-Don Valley East, said in a post on her social media that disturbing incidents of hate and violence cannot be normalized.

“Just because someone chooses to wear a symbol of their faith, whether it is a hijab, a kippah or a turban, does not mean they should be subjected to discrimination, hatred or violence,” Zahid said.